Linda Ikeji: Relishing Pregnancy, Expectant, Daring

Popular celebrity blogger, Linda Ikeji, is as sizzling as the posts on her blog. Her contents and remarks generate wide interest. Her posts and comments around her pregnancy and supposed baby daddy are generating more controversy in the social media than she would have wished while new angles to it are developing everyday, writes Ferdinand Ekechukwu

I It is not everything about Linda Ikeji that matters. Definitely not … Let’s say all remarks by the celebrity blogger generate interest. Following the recent revelation that her soon to be baby daddy is from Itsekiri, die hard followers of the sensational brand and keen observers of the former model, as usual, stoked up her post and got more people talking, which is often her stock in trade.

Sure, no doubt that she’s good at what she does having attained that position by virtue of hard work and resilience, it matters most that a pointy comment from one of her readers triggered by her “baby daddy” post elicited more interests than her own post inspired. Due to speculation among fans of the popular blogger, a social media user had claimed that Linda Ikeji was pregnant for Sholaye Jeremi, a close associate of Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu. He is from Sapele, Delta State.

The fan remarked: “100% confirmed. The funny thing is there was no engagement as Jeremi will not settle down although he is 40 plus. Jeremi also stays in Ikoyi. Very credible, although Linda is trying to manage the situation but this information is 100 per cent credible. You can do your findings as well, but that’s the guy.”

Although Linda has not revealed to the public, who the father of her child actually is, it is clear that the man who impregnated her is an Itsekiri man. The Itsekiri people are an ethnic group in Delta State, Nigeria. Linda made the tribe of her baby known in a post to Instagram last Sunday as she shared pictures of herself and a friend.

“Mummy-to-be to a future Itsekiri big boy,” the 37-year-old captioned the post. Linda had announced her pregnancy via a post on her popular blog in May.

According to Linda, she discovered the pregnancy at the beginning of the year. “The most amazing thing has happened to me! I am going to be a mum. My greatest dream realised,” she said. Linda revealed a month ago that she was in America ahead of the delivery of her chi…

With the assertive claim by a social media user simply identified as “Nobody”, it behooves the popular blogger to justify the claim that she was not engaged to the Itsekiri man and also that she had been trying to manage the situation that the so called Sholaye would not want to settle down yet. As you read this, she just might have fully revealed who the baby father is.

Recall that Linda had earlier in March announced her engagement on social media which set the blogosphere agog.

It was reported: “Popular Nigerian blogger Linda Ikeji is officially engaged. Linda’s ex-boyfriend recently relocated to Nigeria where the lovebirds decided to rekindle their love affair.”

Sandra, Linda’s sister confirmed the good news via her Instagram handle: “Congratulations @officiallindaikeji So happy for you sweet sis! This tells me that sometimes the wait is worth it. Can’t wait to plan your special day! @eventsbysi are you readyyyyy? #it’sagetaway.”

Her sister, Laura who is also an Instagram influencer took to her own page, saying, “Congrats Linlin.” Celebrities also took to their social platform to congratulate Linda. Among them was Nollywood actress, Toyin Aimakhu, who wrote: “Congratulations to our very own Linda Ikeji for ticking one of the important boxes every woman has piled up on her list as she got engaged to her heartthrob! I can’t wait to fill my tummy up with the rice o, so don’t keep us waiting too long… We just can’t wait!!!.”

Be that as it may, could it be that she faked her engagement? Linda has other issues trailing her, such as her position on celibacy and pregnancy outside wedlock. When she excitedly broke the news of her pregnancy, it was met with mixed reactions. Some social media users questioned her stand on celibacy, which she passionately advised young girls to practice.

Reacting to the criticisms, Linda had tweeted: “I preached celibacy to young girls because I feel that’s the right way to live until you meet someone very special that you love and who loves you and wants to be in a committed relationship with you. Passing body around and having multiple partners is not the way and I stand by it. And I’ve lived by it. But then, I turned 36 and I knew there was nothing else I wanted more than to be a mum and wife and celibacy wasn’t going to get me that! I even did a video talking about how much I wanted these two things and God has finally answered my prayers. Beyond blessed.”

The expectant mother who is in America ahead of the delivery of her son, has often addressed the issues surrounding her while relishing her pregnancy. She once used the opportunity to share a powerful message with her fans. Sitting on a bed covered with white sheets and pillows with white case, Linda was seen lounging in a relaxed manner while showing off her cute baby bump in an unbuttoned denim jacket. She remarked that she hoped that people are living their lives; that they want to live not the ones people expect. She added that people should not just exist, they should live for themselves.

Linda is one of the most popular female celebrities not only in Nigeria, but in Africa. Her rise to fame and wealth through a profession that was least known and respected in Nigeria is like a puzzle to many. So difficult to comprehend that some had resorted to attributing her success to some dubious means rather than through hard work.

A couple of years ago, Linda was just a lady with a dream and few coins in her pocket like most people around. Yet, she dared to press forward. A couple even admitted that they used to laugh at her when they see her journeying to the cafe to go and blog. Now, just about six years down the line, those that laughed at her are nobody and Linda is a name that some of the biggest brands are proud to be associated with.

In the course of her journey, Linda has daringly dealt with controversial posts, which include the #SaveMayowa Campaign and also about celebrities such as Funke Akindele, Richard Mofe Damijo, Djimon Honsou, Wizkid and Tonto Dikeh. She also made controversial publications about Doyin Okupe who described the publications as defamatory.

Topmost amongst celebrity personality controversies she courted was popular Nollywood actor Richard Mofe Damijo (popularly known as RMD), who explored legal action. So, when it comes to the feedback of love or hate from the public, the celebrity blogger knows exactly where she stands.

Naturally, this should give her some cause for concern, but Linda keeps a clear head by aligning more with love: “I get a lot of hate and lots of love, but I try as much as possible to hold on to the love instead of the hate, because I know the hate is coming from a very different place. Whenever I trend and I see some vile comments, I’m like ‘you’ve never met me, why are you saying this about me’. I have grown such a thick skin. I understand when people like Wizkid and Olamide lashed out at me because I wrote about them. But if I haven’t written about you and then you make such vile comments, I understand it’s coming from a place which is not my fault. Maybe you are angry about your situation, where you are coming from, you wish you have and you didn’t. I understand because I have been there – when people are frustrated and depressed.

“I have been depressed and angry and my anger is usually towards those who are successful. When I say hostile things about them, it makes me feel better. I allow them that space to vent because really, it’s like when you go to the market, you don’t see the traders talking about non-entity, they are talking about the person who made more sales than them. I understand that success comes with a lot of hate. In fact, that’s one of the ways to know you are really successful because if you ask them why they hate you, they can’t even tell you. But as long as you know yourself, love yourself and do the right thing, that shouldn’t be an issue.”

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